+R. Royster.+ What is it?

+M. Mery.+ If I wer you, Custance should eft seeke to me, ere I woulde bowe.

+R. Royster.+ Well, as thou wilt haue me, euen so will I doe.

+M. Mery.+ Then shall ye reuiue againe for an houre or two.

+R. Royster.+ As thou wilt I am content for a little s.p.a.ce.

+M. Mery.+ Good happe is not hastie: yet in s.p.a.ce com[e]th grace, To speake with Custance your selfe shoulde be very well, What good therof may come, nor I, nor you can tell.

But now the matter standeth vpon your mariage, Ye must now take vnto you a l.u.s.tie courage.

Ye may not speake with a faint heart to Custance, But with a l.u.s.ty breast and countenance, That she may knowe she hath to answere to a man.

+R. Royster.+ Yes I can do that as well as any can.

+M. Mery.+ Then bicause ye must Custance face to face wowe, Let vs see how to behaue your selfe ye can doe.

Ye must haue a portely bragge after your estate.

+R. Royster.+ Tushe, I can handle that after the best rate.

+M. Mery.+ Well done, so loe, vp man with your head and chin, Vp with that snoute man: so loe, nowe ye begin, So, that is somewhat like, but prankie cote, nay whan, That is a l.u.s.tie brute, handes vnder your side man: So loe, now is it euen as it should bee, That is somewhat like, for a man of your degree.

Then must ye stately goe, ietting vp and downe, Tut, can ye no better shake the taile of your gowne?

There loe, suche a l.u.s.tie bragge it is ye must make.

+R. Royster.+ To come behind, and make curtsie, thou must som pains take.

+M. Mery.+ Else were I much to blame, I thanke your mastershyp.

The lorde one day all to begrime you with worshyp, Backe sir sauce, let gentlefolkes haue elbowe roome, Voyde sirs, see ye not maister Roister Doister come?

Make place my maisters.

+R. Royster.+ Thou iustlest nowe to nigh.

+M. Mery.+ Back al rude loutes.

+R. Royster.+ Tush.

+M. Mery.+ I crie your maship mercy Hoighdagh, if faire fine mistresse Custance sawe you now, Ralph Royster Doister were hir owne I warrant you.

+R. Royster.+ Neare an M by your girdle?

+M. Mery.+ Your good mastershyps Maistershyp, were hir owne Mistreshyps mistreshyps, Ye were take vp for haukes, ye were gone, ye were gone, But now one other thing more yet I thinke vpon.

+R. Royster.+ Shewe what it is.

+M. Mery.+ A wower be he neuer so poore Must play and sing before his bestbeloues doore, How much more than you?

+R. Royster.+ Thou speakest wel out of dout.

+M. Mery.+ And perchaunce that woulde make hir the sooner come out.

+R. Royster.+ Goe call my Musitians, bydde them high apace.

+M. Mery.+ I wyll be here with them ere ye can say trey ace.

_Exeat._

+R. Royster.+ This was well sayde of Merygreeke, I lowe hys wit, Before my sweete hearts dore we will haue a fit, That if my loue come forth, that I may with hir talke, I doubt not but this geare shall on my side walke.

But lo, how well Merygreeke is returned sence.

+M. Mery.+ There hath grown no gra.s.se on my heele since I went hence, Lo here haue I brought that shall make you pastance.

+R. Royster.+ Come sirs let vs sing to winne my deare loue Custance.

_Cantent._

+M. Mery.+ Lo where she commeth, some countenaunce to hir make And ye shall heare me be plaine with hir for your sake.

Actus. iij. Scaena. iiij.

+Custance. Merygreeke. Roister Doister.+

+C. Custance.+ What gaudyng and foolyng is this afore my doore?

+M. Mery.+ May not folks be honest, pray you, though they be pore?

+C. Custance.+ As that thing may be true, so rich folks may be fooles,

+R. Royster.+ Hir talke is as fine as she had learned in schooles.

+M. Mery.+ Looke partly towarde hir, and drawe a little nere.

+C. Custance.+ Get ye home idle folkes.

+M. Mery.+ Why may not we be here?

Nay and ye will haze, haze: otherwise I tell you plaine, And ye will not haze, then giue vs our geare againe.

+C. Custance.+ In deede I haue of yours much gay things G.o.d saue all.

+R. Royster.+ Speake gently vnto hir, and let hir take all.

+M. Mery.+ Ye are to tender hearted: shall she make vs dawes?

Nay dame, I will be plaine with you in my friends cause.

+R. Royster.+ Let all this pa.s.se sweete heart and accept my seruice.

+C. Custance.+ I will not be serued with a foole in no wise, When I choose an husbande I hope to take a man.

+M. Mery.+ And where will ye finde one which can doe that he can?